Entertaining, but like most summer blockbusters, it rings hollow

Rating: 6/10 (21 July 2013)

Let me start this review by saying that I am in no way familiar with this genre of film. That being said, I am quite familiar with Guillermo del Toro, and I have always admired his ability to emotionally attach the audience to his characters. In his previous films, like Hellboy and Pan's Labrynth, the audience was equal parts captivated by the human elements of his characters and by his visionary approach to CGI. Walking in to Pacific Rim, I was expecting something along those lines; a movie with beautifully crafted special effects with delicate attention to story and character.
Unfortunately, this film is much more traditional in its approach to being a summer blockbuster. As per the usual, it doesn't waste any time building suspense or developing characters. By the end of the first minute, we've already seen a massive Kaiju destroy a city. How this Kaiju came to be there is glossed over in a 30 second monologue. To me, I would've preferred a more detailed explanation of such things; already it seemed apparent that the story would take a backseat to the CGI.
And that's pretty much how this movie went. The story and the characters within it are all flat and boring, and are portrayed by clearly uninspired actors. Not enough time is given to the story; all of the time (and budget) has clearly been allocated to the special effects.
Now, I see several people fiercely defending this movie, and they are all saying that people shouldn't see movies about robots fighting aliens if they expect a top-notch story and some inspired acting. This defence just doesn't work for me.
It might sound so far like I hated this movie, but I really didn't. It is an average summer blockbuster, nothing more, and the only reason I am disappointed is because arguably one of modern cinema's better directors is at the helm.
That being said, this film does do one thing right. When the Jaegers and the Kaiju clash, the results are nothing less than spectacular. The scope of these fights is quite unlike anything I have seen in rival blockbusters, and was a real treat in 3D.
The key to enjoying this film is to expect a simple blockbuster movie with some serious eye-candy. Don't make the mistake I did and expect anything more.
RATING: 6/10